India beat Australia in a tense virtual knockout match to make it to the semi-final of ICC T20 World Cup 2016. Virat Kohli played perhaps the innings of the tournament — along with Joe Root’s innings against South Africa — to guide India home on a tricky pitch with 5 balls to spare. After Australia set India 160, both openers failed to get going. Once again it was up to Kohli and Yuvraj Singh to stabilise the innings, and Dhoni to finish off the match. Here are highlights from the chase. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia, Super 10 Group 2, Match 31 at Mohali
Openers stutter again: Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have been in poor form throughout this tournament, despite their excellent run of form in the build-up to the tournament. The duo had done brilliantly in the series in Australia earlier in the year, but their poor form continued in this match. Despite a promising start, Dhawan top-edged a pull off Nathan Coulter-Nile to Usman Khawaja at fine leg for 13 off 12 balls. A couple of overs later Rohit stepped out and missed a slower ball from Shane Watson, getting bowled for 12 off 17 balls. FULL CRICKET UPDATES: India vs Australia, Super 10 Group 2, Match 31 at Mohali
Watto makes his farewell count: Shane Watson was not sure whether he would be playing his final international match or not, so he made it count anyway. Watson bowled Rohit for 12 in his first over, and then had Suresh Raina caught behind by Peter Nevill for 10 off 7 balls in his next over. His first two overs brought him 2 for 8. He later took a terrific catch to dismiss Yuvraj Singh. His final analysis was 2 for 23 in 4 overs. As it happened, that would be the last time he bowled for Australia. READ: India vs Australia, T20 World Cup 2016, Match 31 at Mohali: Highlights from 1st innings
Yuvraj Singh battles the pain: Yuvraj Singh walked in with India 49 for 3 in the eighth over. He hit a boundary off the second ball he faced, but picked up a niggle off the next ball. Yuvraj’s ankle was giving him trouble for the rest of his innings, but he kept fighting on. He hit a four and six in his 18-ball 21 and it was only a superb catch that finally ended his innings. READ: Virat Kohli masterpiece takes India to semi-final of ICC T20 World Cup 2016 as hosts beat Australia by 6 wickets
MS Dhoni finishes it off, as usual: If there is a chase that has to be finished, it is almost by default that Dhoni will be the one to do it. The Indian skipper continued to stretch his string of unbeaten innings, once again ending the match with a boundary. He scored 18 in 10 balls with 3 fours, and ran furiously between the wickets. READ: India restrict Australia to 160 for 6 in ICC T20 World Cup 2016 virtual quarter-final
The legend of Kohli: Australia would have felt confident when India were 23 for 1, then 37 for 2, and then 49 for 3. Yuvraj and Kohli then had a partnership, but they were unable to find the boundaries at regular intervals. Dhoni came in at No. 6 and ran hard with Kohli, but with 39 runs needed off the last 3 overs Australia would have felt confident. Kohli, batting on 50 off 40 balls at the time, hit 2 fours and 1 six off the first 3 balls of the 18th over bowled by James Faulkner. Nathan Coulter-Nile bowled the next over, and Kohli hit four boundaries: past point, to fine leg, over cover, and through cover. Suddenly India needed just 4 off the last over, and Dhoni finished things off in style.
(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is an animal lover and comic, film and TV geek. A fast bowler at heart, he enjoys watching a good, low-scoring game of cricket. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)
Written by 
